Fic: Falling Slowly (3/7)
Falling Slowly
Series Notes
Fandom: House MD
Character: Allison Cameron
Pairings: Canon; House/Cameron and Chase/Cameron are addressed, House/Cuddy is understood
Setting: begins a couple months post-Lockdown; Cameron is living and working in London, England
Rating: T
Summary: a story in seven parts, each depicting an interaction between Cameron and one of her former colleagues, and detailing what Cameron does after she leaves Princeton-Plainboro
Part One: Wilson
Part Two: Taub
Chapter Notes: Set soon after part 2, Cameron's moving forward.
Part Three: Foreman
"I don't think you called to chat." It had taken barely five minutes for him to ask her to get to the point.
"No." A smile tugs at her lips. Foreman's disinterest in awkward small talk was part of why she'd settled on him for this task. "I need a favor."
There's a moment of silence as Foreman digests this. Taub had mentioned seeing her, it wasn't precisely a call from out of the blue. But then a favor? Huh. "Does it involve pranking Chase?"
He's testing her. Or teasing her. Or both. Her jaw sets but she’s able to keep the tightness out of her voice. "No."
"House?"
"No." Still no change in her voice, but maybe it's a good thing he can't see her eyes.
Oddly, Foreman chuckles. "I'm not going to like this favor, am I?"
She relaxes. "When have I ever been the prank type?"
"Hey, people change."
"Not that much." This is said so quietly he's not sure she actually spoke. Enough of this.
"Look, what do you want, Cameron?"
She takes a breath; she refuses to be rushed. This is important, she has to play it right. "I need some case files. Our success stories."
Our? He did expect something like that but he's surprised at the inclusive. Our. Four years and three exits later and she's still a team player. And apparently hoping he is, too. "You want me to steal confidential medical files and ship them to England."
She considers the question. "Yes."
Foreman's eyebrows raise. Simple as that. Huh again. ". . .No."
"Why not?"
He really feels like chuckling again but answers instead. "I'd lose my job and my license to practice medicine."
Cameron waves her hands in the air dismissively, as if he can see her. "Don't be so dramatic. I'll email you the specifications. You won't lose your job." Probably.
Foreman doesn't think he's being dramatic but arguing that would be petty. "Why don't you ask Cuddy?"
There is another pause. He appreciates that she's really listening. She wishes he'd stop testing. Teasing. Another breath. "She's territorial."
Foreman likes to think he knows what that means. But truthfully he has no idea. "What's this for?"
"Research."
"Research," he repeats, disbelief dripping from the word.
Cameron smiles. He's interested. This is going to work. "I don't want to say too much. Consider it a personal favor."
"Okay." He considers. "No."
She leans forward and a sense of exigency carries through the phone. "Consider it a prank."
Silence.
"You'd do it for House."
He sits up straighter. She's right, he probably would. And what's that mean? What's it mean that everybody does everything House asks? Damn, when did Cameron get so good at this? "You're not House."
"Not yet."
He shakes his head. It's always the quiet ones. "You'll email me the specifications?"
"Right away." He can hear her grin.
"I'll think about it." People don't change. She wouldn't ask him to do something that would actually get him fired. And maybe he really could work the prank angle.
"Thank you, Eric."
"Yeah." He hangs up, hoping the prank isn't actually on him.
Series Notes
Fandom: House MD
Character: Allison Cameron
Pairings: Canon; House/Cameron and Chase/Cameron are addressed, House/Cuddy is understood
Setting: begins a couple months post-Lockdown; Cameron is living and working in London, England
Rating: T
Summary: a story in seven parts, each depicting an interaction between Cameron and one of her former colleagues, and detailing what Cameron does after she leaves Princeton-Plainboro
Part One: Wilson
Part Two: Taub
Chapter Notes: Set soon after part 2, Cameron's moving forward.
Part Three: Foreman
"I don't think you called to chat." It had taken barely five minutes for him to ask her to get to the point.
"No." A smile tugs at her lips. Foreman's disinterest in awkward small talk was part of why she'd settled on him for this task. "I need a favor."
There's a moment of silence as Foreman digests this. Taub had mentioned seeing her, it wasn't precisely a call from out of the blue. But then a favor? Huh. "Does it involve pranking Chase?"
He's testing her. Or teasing her. Or both. Her jaw sets but she’s able to keep the tightness out of her voice. "No."
"House?"
"No." Still no change in her voice, but maybe it's a good thing he can't see her eyes.
Oddly, Foreman chuckles. "I'm not going to like this favor, am I?"
She relaxes. "When have I ever been the prank type?"
"Hey, people change."
"Not that much." This is said so quietly he's not sure she actually spoke. Enough of this.
"Look, what do you want, Cameron?"
She takes a breath; she refuses to be rushed. This is important, she has to play it right. "I need some case files. Our success stories."
Our? He did expect something like that but he's surprised at the inclusive. Our. Four years and three exits later and she's still a team player. And apparently hoping he is, too. "You want me to steal confidential medical files and ship them to England."
She considers the question. "Yes."
Foreman's eyebrows raise. Simple as that. Huh again. ". . .No."
"Why not?"
He really feels like chuckling again but answers instead. "I'd lose my job and my license to practice medicine."
Cameron waves her hands in the air dismissively, as if he can see her. "Don't be so dramatic. I'll email you the specifications. You won't lose your job." Probably.
Foreman doesn't think he's being dramatic but arguing that would be petty. "Why don't you ask Cuddy?"
There is another pause. He appreciates that she's really listening. She wishes he'd stop testing. Teasing. Another breath. "She's territorial."
Foreman likes to think he knows what that means. But truthfully he has no idea. "What's this for?"
"Research."
"Research," he repeats, disbelief dripping from the word.
Cameron smiles. He's interested. This is going to work. "I don't want to say too much. Consider it a personal favor."
"Okay." He considers. "No."
She leans forward and a sense of exigency carries through the phone. "Consider it a prank."
Silence.
"You'd do it for House."
He sits up straighter. She's right, he probably would. And what's that mean? What's it mean that everybody does everything House asks? Damn, when did Cameron get so good at this? "You're not House."
"Not yet."
He shakes his head. It's always the quiet ones. "You'll email me the specifications?"
"Right away." He can hear her grin.
"I'll think about it." People don't change. She wouldn't ask him to do something that would actually get him fired. And maybe he really could work the prank angle.
"Thank you, Eric."
"Yeah." He hangs up, hoping the prank isn't actually on him.